The Opposition Leader this morning told his colleagues they need to continue getting out and explaining the government’s “rotten” budget to Australians.

“In fact, if it wasn’t so serious, if it wasn’t causing so much harm and fear and insecurity to so many Australians, this budget and this Government, the way they’ve handled it, would be a joke,” Mr Shorten said to Caucus.

“This Government is rapidly becoming in the last three weeks, and their budget is only three week old, they are turning this budget into a circus of mistakes.”

If Tony Abbott won’t “tell the story of this budget”, Labor must, he argued.

“This is our challenge both in the Parliament and more importantly outside the Parliament and all the suburbs and streets of Australia, we need to explain to Australians and tell the story of this budget.”

Mr Shorten again insisted the Opposition will “not vote for vast parts of this budget”.

“That’s our message today and it will be the message we take from here to every household throughout Australia in coming days and weeks.”